Mentioning the punishment for drinking intoxicants.

The Shaykh : A man who had become intoxicated was brought before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during his time, and the people began striking him—some with their garments, some with their hands, and some with their sandals—without a set number, though it was approximately forty lashes. During the time of Abu Bakr, the punishment remained at forty lashes. In the early part of 'Umar's caliphate, the punishment remained the same. However, when the Islamic conquests expanded and new converts entered the religion, the drinking of intoxicants increased during 'Umar's time. It was his custom (may Allah be pleased with him) to gather the Companions and consult them on difficult matters. So he gathered them and consulted them, saying: "The people have become numerous in their drinking of intoxicants, and the current punishment is not sufficient to deter them. What should we do?" 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, the lightest of the fixed punishments is eighty." So 'Umar raised the punishment from forty to eighty lashes, and he lashed the drinker of intoxicants eighty lashes so that people would be deterred from it. One of the signs of the Hour is that the drinking of intoxicants will become widespread. There is no doubt that one who reflects on the conditions of people today will find that the drinking of intoxicants is very common, not only among the nations of disbelief, but even among the Muslim nations. It is obligatory to deter the drinker of intoxicants with the punishment that came from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).